Title: Of Reds and Greens
Category: Eyeshield 21; 9-shot
Summary: Christmas. It's a very confusing time of the year, especially to one particular running back. A party is set for Christmas Eve, and he's been chosen to go to the store and get the decorations. Who knew how many people he would run into? Or what things would happen? It's a race between everyone to see who will finally get little Sena's first kiss underneath the mistletoe.
Warnings: language; (reference to) violence; shounen-ai
Pairings: various (read and find out! ^^)
Author's Note: I have never written an Eyeshield 21 fanfic before (smacks head) even though I've always wanted to since I watched it. This came out of the blue, and actually from a little "challenge" a friend of mine and I do many times. We come up with ideas and write. Lot of fun, and you never know what happens!
Disclaimer: Don't own.
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Of Reds and Greens
Decorations of Red
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Sleighs. Snow. Lights and bells and Christmas carols. Trees. Ribbons. Feasts. Everything just screamed Christmas Eve. The sky was the gray-blue that only appeared with snow clouds, a promise of a white Christmas filled the news forecasts for that evening. The winds were cold, biting, telling all to stay inside on that special day.
Unfortunately, one, small runningback ignored it all as he quickly made his way through the mass of crowds gathered along the streets. Instead of getting irritated at the many boxes and bags he had to dodge along the way, the high schooler just imagined it as another one of Yoichi Hiruma's practicing methods. The quarterback sure came up with the weirdest things, but that only made what he was imagining even more believable.
Sena Kobayakawa, running back of Deimon High's American football team, was on a mission. Well, a mission of sorts. He had been sent out to get last minute details for the Christmas party his team was having. After all these years, Hiruma finally gave in to Deimon's own lineman Ryokan Kurita's pleadings of having a Christmas party. Of course, everyone was invited, not just Deimon High's team either. Sena didn't know who all was showing up. There had to be a significant number if Hiruma's threats had anything to do with it, though. The blonde could be rather "intimidating".
'More like scary,' the boy muttered to himself with a chill as he spotted the first store he was heading to.
Deimon's football manager, and Sena's oldest friend, Mamori Anezaki had asked him to stop by three different stores to get the supplies after Hiruma practically forced the younger to agree in going. Not that the brown haired really needed any pressuring. He would have gladly gone without a thought, but Hiruma's trusty gun kept his mouth shut and his legs running.
Mamori had said they needed some extra decorations for the Christmas tree and for the boy to go to a store downtown first as they had the cheapest prices. 'I just hope I can get the ones she wanted,' Sena thought opening the door and grabbing a small basket. He blinked in awe at all of the colors surrounding him. All the reds and greens and golds and silvers. There were even more colors as he delved deeper into the store, streamers and balloons and ornaments and bows lined every wall. It was a decorator's haven.
'I've never seen so many ornaments!' He couldn't believe his eyes as he went down an isle. Every shelf was lined in different kinds and sizes of ornaments. Mamori had said they needed a few more ornamentations. If only she knew how many there were to choose from. Sena's large brown orbs just couldn't take in everything, he thought, until they landed on another person in the isle. The smaller gasped as he almost collided with the other, his eyes wide in shock.
"Riku!"
Riku Kaitani, runningback for the Seibu Wild Gunmans and old childhood friend of Sena, was standing in the middle of the isle looking at Christmas ornaments. The white haired teen blinked, green eyes recognizing the smaller. "Sena?" he mumbled, surprised at seeing the boy.
Sena positively beamed at seeing the other. No matter what was said or done on the field, the brown haired runningback still adored his "big brother". "What are you doing here?" he asked, looking around. "Are you here by yourself? I don't see Kid-san or Tetsuma-san anywhere."
Riku's eye twitched a bit at the teen's words. Why did it seem weird for him to be out alone without the other two star players on his team? "I'm here alone, Sena," he muttered, putting back the ornament he had been looking at before. "What are you here for?" He eyed the teen, noting the shirt and light jacket. "Where's your coat? It's freezing outside, and you're wearing clothes like it's still fall."
The younger's cheeks flushed a little in embarrassment. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, looking at the floor. "Ano, my coat got torn the other day. Mamori-nee is trying to mend it, but she says that I should just get a new one. It's been so busy the last few days with getting the Christmas party ready that I really forgot about it."
The white haired teen sighed. That was Sena. He could be so scatter-brained at times that it was unreal. "You really need to get a new one."
"I will, Riku," he smiled.
"So, what are you doing here?" the older tried again, grabbing another ornament to look more closely.
"Mamori-nee and Hiruma-san sent me out to get a few more supplies for the party tonight. This was my first stop. You are coming tonight, right, Riku?"
'Don't look at the eyes. Don't look. Don't look,' the Gunman chanted in his mind. If he saw those deep, dark, chocolate, pleading, puppy-dog eyes of Sena's, he would be doomed. He wouldn't be able to say no. Sena was just to adorable for his own good, had always been. There was never a time when Riku would look in those eyes and say no. Never. In his life.
Damnit. He looked.
Hiruma had come by the Gunman's fieldhouse the other day, inviting them all to the Christmas party his team was hosting. Kid had agreed to go, and wherever Kid went, Tetsuma was sure to go, but Riku hadn't wanted to. Sure, Sena and Mamori would be there, but parties weren't really his thing. Now, it looked like he had no choice. He had accidentally looked at those eyes. Those gorgeous, innocent eyes.
Greens widened in helplessness as he saw those pleading orbs. Riku sighed, giving in like he knew he would. "I suppose."
He was expecting the hug afterwards, but the action still produced the blush that spread across the older's cheeks healthily. Having Sena's lithe body pressed up against his burned something deep within him. Riku knew he had fallen for the innocent boy so many years ago, but never acted on the impulses. Sena was just too innocent, too pure for anything or anyone to taint the boy, and Riku couldn't let that happen. He'd protect Sena's innocence to the bitter end, and if that meant that he wouldn't be with the boy, then so be it.
But Riku still couldn't help but want to be with him.
The younger pulled away, happy, and started looking at the ornaments. He sighed. "Mamori-nee said that we needed a few more ornaments, but I have no idea what to get." He pouted, reaching for one and turning it in his hand before placing it back. "I'm not good at picking out decorations, and she expects me to find some good ones."
Riku watched his friend for a moment before smirking. Sena would never change. "I'll help, then. It can't be that hard." He reached for one and picked it up.
"Really? Arigatou gozaimasu, Riku!" the boy exclaimed, bowing to the other with a relieved smile.
Riku handed him the ornament he was holding. "Here's one that should be good."
Sena looked at it, twisting and turning it in his hand. It was a simple, round ornament painted red with white lace trimming. Plain yet elegant. The brown haired boy smiled again and placed it carefully in his basket.
They spent another few minutes gathering ornaments from the shelves until the basket was half full. Sena smiled to himself. It had been a long while since he and Riku had done something together with just the two of them. The football games kept them from each other for the longest time since the last they faced, and even then, they were rivals.
'But even rivals can be friends,' the younger mused.
The smaller runningback spotted another ornament on the shelf and stopped, looking at it. It was a really beautiful ornament. Round and flat, the small thing was decorated in gold metal surrounding a wonderfully painted image. An angel stood behind two young boys, guarding them with her magical light. Golden strands rippled like ocean waves from behind her ears as her wings surrounded the boys, soft feathers brushing the youngsters' shoulders. The two boys were playing in the sand, building a small sandcastle. Sena smiled softly at the picture but put the ornament back on the shelf reluctantly. Hiruma would kill him if he brought something like that back for the Christmas tree. Sighing, the boy turned around.
"Well, I better be going. I've still got two more stores." He smiled and bowed again to his friend. "Thank you so much again, Riku!"
Riku watched his younger friend rush off to the nearest cash register with thoughtful eyes. He turned to the ornament on the shelf and picked it up with a frown.
Sena ignored his friend's behavior and lack of words as he reached the cash register line. Quickly paying for the ornaments, he strode out of the store, being exceptionally careful not to run into anyone or have anyone run into him. It was still crowded, and he didn't want anything to happen to the precious ornaments he was carrying. Hiruma would have a fit and probably chase him around the city with his gun if something happened to them.
He shivered at the thought.
"Sena!"
Brown eyes blinked as the familiar voice called out his name again. Turning around, he spotted Riku coming towards him with a small bag in his hand. Sena blinked again. Did Riku buy something?
The white haired boy reached his friend and took a deep breath before practically shoving the bag into his chest. "Here," he muttered, pink marring his tanned cheeks.
Sena carefully grabbed the bag, maneuvering his own so he could hold it properly. "What's this?" he asked, not bothering to open the silver plastic.
"Merry Christmas," the green eyed boy mumbled, crossing his arms and trying to look indifferent, which just failed completely with the blush.
The younger carefully opened the bag and gasped. Inside was the ornament he had been looking at in the store. Why had Riku bought it?
Sena smiled softly and looked up at his long time friend who was still trying to look like nothing was wrong. The younger stepped closer and hugged him tightly, burying his nose in the other's shoulder. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Riku," he whispered.
If Riku's cheeks had been pink before, right then they turned red. He wrapped his own arms around Sena's thin waist, pulling him closer. How long and often he wanted to hold the boy like that. "Sena," he whispered, nuzzling his cheek against those soft brown locks. They felt like silk to him; silk made by angels.
The moment lasted for a few more moments until a loud ringing interrupted it.
The two high school students blinked at the tone until Sena pulled back and frantically searched in his pockets. Finally bringing out said interrupter, the boy answered his cell phone, much to the other's dismay.
"Moshi-moshi?"
-"Don't you 'hello' me, you fucking shrimp! What's taking you so long?"- the voice on the other end answered.
"Ah! Hiruma-san! I-I'm heading to the next store right now."
-"You've only made it to one? Worthless kid, you're slow as shit. Christmas will be here before you will. Now, hurry it up!"-
"H-Hai, Hiruma-san!" the boy replied, feeling the familiar pressure of Hiruma's threats all over again, and the teen wasn't even there!
He hung up after he knew the quarterback had. Turning back to Riku, he smiled sheepishly. "Ano, gomen, Riku. I've got to go. I'll see you at the party, though, right?" he added hopefully.
The other nodded, wondering if he needed to have a word with Deimon High's quarterback on how the older treated his runningback.
"Arigatou, Riku!" Sena waved as he dashed off in the direction of the next store on his list.
Riku sighed dishearten. He had been so close. 'Oh, well,' he smirked, 'one day.'
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Well, that's it for chapter one.
Read and review!
Ja Ne
Miz